Frank In Charge For Rabbits

WABASSO – Beginning next fall, Wabasso’s opponents in volleyball, girls basketball and softball won’t see a familiar face that has been giving them nightmares for what seems like a very long time.

Wabasso three-sport standout Kimberly Frank has been one of the better athletes to compete in the Tomahawk Conference over the last three or four years and her run of dominance will eventually come to an end after the prep softball season sometime this spring.

Frank was up to her old tricks again this year in basketball, leading the Rabbits to a 26-3 record and a trip to the Section 3A final, where they lost to eventual state champion Minneota. Frank was named the Tomahawk Conference Player of the Year after her big season, and she was named the 2013 All-Journal Girls Basketball Player of the Year, as voted on by The Journal’s sports writing staff.

Frank scored more than 1,500 points in her career and averaged 15.7 points, 3 steals and 4 rebounds per game. Frank will also play in the All Star Series April 26-28. She will be one of 10 Class A players in the state to compete in the event.

After going 22-5 last year, Frank and the Rabbits had set lofty goals for this season. They finished the season with three loses, two of them coming at the hands of Minneota.

“We had very high expectations from my junior year,” Frank said. “We set the bar high for ourselves, which was really, really good. We knew our potential and I definitely think we played up to it. We came out having an overall excellent season.”

The Rabbits won the Tomahawk Conference title with a conference record of 15-1 and they were geared for a strong post-season run.

But Minneota stood in the way of the Rabbits’ state tournament chances. The Vikings defeated the Rabbits 70-43 in the season opener and the Vikings ended Wabasso’s 18-game winning streak with a 72-46 victory in the section final.

While the Rabbits were disappointed, it did help somewhat that two of their losses came to the state champion.

“We watched all of the games (at state) and knowing that two of our three losses came from a state champion, makes us feel really, really good,” Frank said. “That’s just amazing.”

Frank has been a leader for the Rabbits for several years, a role she clearly embraces. That leadership shows whenever she takes the court or the softball diamond.

“My biggest thing is to lead and get everyone in the game,” she said. “I want them feeling comfortable and I’m definitely not taking it as a ‘me’ game. I wanted everyone else to tie together and we definitely did that.”

Next year Frank wants to be involved in athletics in college. She isn’t sure if she wants to do both basketball and softball or just play one.

Whatever she decides to do, it’s pretty certain that, with her work ethic and talents, she’ll be successful.